Ana's Story
by SassyxSnarkyxBrunette
Summary: {a little more than slightly au, oc x ? pairing} Ana Corinthos is the second oldest child of Sonny Corinthos. Since the age of 4, she's lived her entire life with her father as the one 'love' in her life. Now that she's back from California, will she find the OTHER love in her life? And who will it be? The former boyfriend, Diego? Rival mobster Johnny? Or another man? VOTE NOW
1. A Few Necessary Notes

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own General Hospital or any of the cast members and plots they've done or will do. This story is NOT meant to make money, nor is it in any way shape or form true (or canon correct, just saying). It's a work of my own imagination, which means I made it up. I only own my oc and the situation I've taken the liberty of throwing her into.

**About the Story:**

**Rating:**

Because I'm hellishly paranoid, it's gonna be a T/M story. There will be swearing, violence and sex. This is a fanfiction for a soap opera, people, so yes, those things will all be present.

**Time frame:**

_Current time frame with major past changes_, the biggest being that Lily died but the child she carried had already been born and was kidnapped by Lily's father (who if you all remember, had Lily killed indirectly when he blew up the limo and thought he'd be killing Sonny) and kept until she was 5 when Lily's father died and a social service worker bought her to Sonny.

_The TMK story arc DID take place_, but since I'm considering either Diego, Johnny or Detective West as my girls pairing, Diego was NOT the TMK. His twin brother, Alec was. Diego shot Alec but the police still arrested him for murder. But he was NOT the TMK. I thought this might make things interesting. Maybe it will.

**AU or Canon True:**

99.9 percent AU however it does loosely follow current storylines with my own spin on them. If this is gonna bother, you might not wanna read what follows this.

**Pairings:**

OC X ?

ETHINA

SOLIVIA

LANTE

MORGAN X OC (I'M GOING TO WRITE A SPIN OFF STORY FOR THEM WHEN THAT PART COMES ALONG.)

SAM X SILAS

MICHAEL X KIKI

MOLLY X RAFE

OTHERS TO BE ANNOUNCED

**Characters used:**

PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE CAST, BUT IT'S OC X ? CENTRIC, SONNY CENTRIC. IF YOU DON'T LIKE SONNY YOU WON'T LIKE THIS.

**OOC Warnings:**

NOT SURE YET.

**About my original character, Ana:**

**full name:**

Liliana Adele Corinthos

**nicknames:**

Goes primarly by Ana

**age:**

25

**looks:**

long and slightly wavy dark hair with bangs, warm brown eyes, same olive complexion as Sonny, stands about 5'4 and weighs about 130 lbs so she's sorta curvy.

(i actually picture Selena Gomez when writing her, only older and curvier.)

**personality:**

Protective

Down to Earth

Plays tough, is really skittish on the inside

Good sense of humor

can be sarcastic and a little dirty minded at times.

Loves to make friends

Intelligent

Easily made jealous

Competitive

Stubborn

Quick tempered

Affectionate

Grumpy

Observant

Blunt with honesty and opinions

Overthinks things

Worries too much

Gets scared but tries to pretend she's not

Private

**relationship status:**

She was involved with a man while living in California to go to college and work, who was an abuser and he may or may not have also brainwashed her into staying with him as long as she now back in Port Charles, single and about to become a mother.

**occupation:**

Is just coming home from California where she was going to college and majored in Journalism with a minor in Marketing. She also had a minor in Dancing and Fashion occupation later on in the story will be as a writer for Crimson. She also freelances articles for several other publications, mostly stuff she can do from home and email in.

**likes:**

makeup

scented candles

high heels

sleeping late

romantic movies

long hot baths

spending time with her father

listening to music

going for drives

dancing

reading

watching horror movies

spends a lot of time with her brother Morgan. Of all of her siblings, she enjoys time with Morgan the most.

the fact that she's about to become a mother.

the color red

swimming

going to the beach

oldies music

photography

Italian food

traveling

cooking

junk food

red wine

massages, giving and getting

poker

baseball, she goes to a lot of Yankees games with her father.

**dislikes:**

being too cold

waking up early

being sick or on bedrest

being told what to do or what not to do

the sight of blood

small spaces

having her cheeks pinched

food that's burnt

food that has no taste

wearing heels and having her feet hurt because of it

being babied

having things handled for her

people she can't trust

making speeches

seeing anyone she cares about in pain or upset and hurt and not being able to do anything about it.

being too cold

small spaces

*****super important people***:**

I need to know whether you think I should pair my oc with Johnny z, Nathan West or Diego A, or someone else entirely. Please help a girl decide?


	2. Prologue

PROLOGUE

_DADDY'S GIRL_

_Hi. My name is Liliana Adele Corinthos (but I prefer to be called Ana) and I'm 25. Yeah, yeah, I know, you heard the lat name and now you're curious. Thought you knew __**all**__ of Sonny's kids, did you?_

_Apparently, you don't._

_But hey, in my defense, I didn't actually know about my father until I was 4 or 5. That's when my mom's dad died. And that's also when all the secrets the old man had kept over the years came out. The biggest one, shocker, was that he'd had me kidnapped, from my father's mansion on the same day he had a car rigged to explode._

_The story was that apparently, he was thinking my mom and me would be at Greystone and Sonny, my dad would be in the limo at Luke's nightclub opening. But we all know that's not how that worked out, right?_

_Thought so._

_Anyway, my dad and I have been through hell and back together since that social services worker dropped me off on his doorstep when I was about 4. Through it all, ups and downs, it's always been me and my dad against the world. My sister and brothers can say whatever the hell they like. But I know my daddy. I know what kind of a man he is. Because for my whole life?_

_He's slain my monsters, he's called me on my shit when I was being a little brat, he's kept me from making the worst mistakes of my life and even though he was a little overprotective, I loved him for it. He's my only living parent and no matter what happens, he's been there for me._

_He's been the only constant._

_And I thought it'd stay that way. I thought honestly, that I'd __**never**__ fall in love. That I'd never meet that second greatest love of my life either._

_Come on, girls, you're all sitting there and nodding in agreement. It's a universal rule as old as time itself that every girls first love? Her father, of course._

_But I did. And that's what this story is about.._

_It's about me and how I deal with the day in and day out trials of my life from getting out of a bad relationship to becoming a mom and everything in between._

_It's about me being an unapologetic 25 year old 'daddy's girl'._

_It's about me finally finding that one other soul in the universe who completes me._

_This is my life and it's my story._

_And yes, no matter what Sonny Corinthos has done in the past, he is my dad and I love him._

_Just like I love my life. I embrace my mistakes and my flaws. I take the good with the bad. And I treasure BOTH of the men in my life._

_My father and the second man who holds a piece of my heart._


	3. Coming Home Again

CHAPTER 01

_COMING HOME_

She still remembered what her father told her the day she'd left to go to California and start college. He'd said quietly, "I love you and no matter what happens, you're always gonna be my little girl. You can always come home." before hugging her and finally letting her get into her car and leave.

That had been almost 5 years ago. She'd finished college, managing to get herself a nice degree in Journalism with a minor in Marketing. But she'd failed in her ultimate goal.

She hadn't been as good as she thought at dancing and she'd discovered soon after moving to California that if she were going to make it into modeling, she'd need a small miracle.

Or the right connections.

And she was too stubborn, too proud to use her father's name to make it into her dream profession.

Then she'd met a guy, Vincent, and she'd gotten serious with him. And for a while? It'd been great. That had been more than enough to fulfill her restless nature. It'd given her an outlet, something and someone to focus on.

And then it wasn't. The monster hiding behind the man came out and she had to really ask herself if she wanted to live her life in fear. If she wanted to worry if one night she'd wake up and find him standing over her, drunk and jealous over some imagined slight, with a knife in his hand.

The answer, plain and simple was that she didn't.

So she'd waited until he went to work and she'd packed everything she cared to keep. She tossed her engagement ring down the garbage disposal and left him a note that basically said "If you want that fake piece of shit you called a ring back, have fun." with an arrow pointing down the drain.

Then she'd destroyed almost all of his stuff in the house they were renting, threw his designer suits and his clothing into a pool along with the keys to the sports car he'd bought her to try and buy her forgiveness after that first really scary fight they had.. She debated for a moment lighting the things in the pool on fire, but she knew that the only way she'd ever feel like she'd gotten her revenge was to leave. To break the hold he'd had on her for almost 3 long years.

Now, here she sat, outside of her father's house, wondering what would happen when she went in, wondering if his first words would be that he'd told her so, that he'd forbidden her to move in with Vincent because he hadn't liked the guy, and now did she see why?

Finally, she pressed the call button next to the gate and waited to be buzzed in.

Seconds later, the gate opened and she parked her car next to the 3 car garage and got out.

Her father stood on the porch and looked at her.

"I was worried about ya." Sonny said as she nodded and looked at him. He saw the faded bruises and the healing busted lower lip and growled as he asked "Did that little shit Vincent do that?"

"He did but.."

"But nothing, Liliana." Sonny said, making Ana cringe as he used her full given name and the rage coursed through his veins and he pulled out his phone. She took the phone and raised a brow, said quietly and calmly with a shake of her head, "And when he comes home from his business trip, Daddy, and sees his precious house ruined, all his shit in the pool out back, I'll totally deserve it. Besides.. Do you really think I let the jerk knock me around without a fight?" trying her best to convince her father that tracking Vincent down and putting a hit on the bastard was not top priority. That she hadn't been scared for her life and she had fought back.

Truthfully, she'd tried, but he'd overpowered her and he'd scared her to death. So while she hadn't taken it, she'd learned quickly that fighting back was only going to make things so much worse for her the next time. He basically controlled her by the end and she hated herself for allowing it to happen.

Sonny looked at her and she gave him her patented wide eyed begging stare. And as usual, it worked. "Okay, for now, we drop it. But if this asshole even thinks he's gonna show up here.."

"Then you can handle it, Daddy." Ana promised obediently -secretly hoping Vincent did dare venture to Port Charles, maybe then her nightmare would finally be over - as she hugged him and said "For now, let's just go inside and find something to eat. The road trip here was long and I'm tired and hungry."

He nodded, but when she wasn't watching, he called Sean and left a message so that Sean would call back and they could do something about this Vincent situation.

Now that she was home, Sonny was determined not to let anything happen to her again. He **knew** it'd been a mistake to let her go off to California alone.

And if it hadn't been for Brenda, who he'd been seeing at the time, he **never **would've done it.

She'd have had to run away to go out to California and try to fulfill her childhood dreams. At least she'd gotten through college after graduating early from high school, and earned not only one degree but two.

Ana sat in the dining room of her father's mansion, listening to him fill her in on what'd been going on in Port Charles since her visit the year before. She gaped at him when he told her about her brother Morgan seeing an older woman and then got angry when she found out that Michael had apparently broken up Morgan and a girl named Kiki.

Then she sighed when Sonny told her about Kristina, the loss she'd suffered, smiling when Sonny said solemnly, "She's seeing that Lovett guy. Not sure I like that."

"He's not a bad guy, Daddy. Besides, Kristina's not exactly a baby anymore. And I'm sure if Alexis didn't approve of the guy, she'd step in and make them break up. It's sad that she lost that other guy though." as Sonny nodded and smiling at her said "I'm just glad you're finally gonna move back home."

"Me too. California was too much for me. I mean I just.. I couldn't keep up, I felt so drained half the time. And then the other half.." she trailed off, looked at her hands as Sonny said firmly, "Hey.. You got outta that. Don't blame yourself for the guy being an asshole. You did the right thing, Daddy's proud of you. You didn't stick around and take his crap. I raised you better."

Her cell phone rang and she sighed as Sonny held out his phone. She shook her head no and then said "Hi Vincent...Aww, is someone a little pissed?" feeling just a little braver now that she was home and her father was there to protect her. Not much braver, but enough so that maybe her father would think she'd fought back and not cowered in a corner in fear when Vincent started his shit.

"You destroyed my house you bitch. I knew I should've beaten you more, shown you your place, woman." Vincent roared drunkenly as the anthem for what Ana was sure had to be a stripper club played in the background. She cupped her hand around the phone and said firmly to her father, "Seriously, daddy. I've got this. I'm my father's daughter." while taking a few breaths to keep herself calm, shoving her hand into her pocket so her father wouldn't see how they shook by just hearing Vincent's voice again.

Sonny nodded but mouthed back "I'm right here."

She nodded and stepped out of the dining room and into the kitchen and then she said calmly, "You're lucky, Vincent."

"No, bitch, you're lucky. Who the fuck do you think you are, leaving me? Nobody leaves me. Nobody. You're gonna regret it, Ana." Vincent said as Ana laughed bitterly and said "Try me, Vincent. The only thing I regret right now is ever meeting you. Thanks to you, I'm officially done with the male species as a whole."

"You can say all that now you ungrateful little bitch.. You're hiding at daddy's house." Vincent snarled as Ana hung up the phone and threw it down.

Sonny walked into the room and said quietly, "He's not gonna hurt you anymore. You can say what you wanna, Ana.. But I know you were scared. I could see it in your eyes before you got out of the car even. You did the right thing and you're home now, safe." as he hugged his daughter.

She took a few shaky breaths and said quietly, "I know.." as she hugged him back tightly. After they talked a little while longer, she finally made herself go up to her old bedroom, flopping across the bed, exhausted.

It'd taken all of her willpower to walk away. She wondered now if she'd ever be okay again. If she'd ever not look over her shoulder. If she'd ever be able to trust a guy enough to have a normal relationship with them.

Growling, she rolled over and shoved her head underneath a satin covered pillow.

When sleep finally came, it was an endless series of nightmares mostly her trying to run from Vincent, but Vincent laughing as he chased her and said things like 'You'll never be rid of me'.

And on some level, she had this sick feeling she just might not be.

But she was determined NOT to drag her father into this if she could avoid it. She knew that she was an adult and she had to handle her problems.

What she didn't know was that her problems were about to become just a little bit more complicated than she'd imagined.


	4. An Unexpected And Welcome Surprise

CHAPTER 02

_An Unexpected (but Welcome) Surprise_

She grumbled as she felt her brother Morgan poking her awake. "Get up." he said as she rolled over and glared up at him through a curtain of hair. She'd only just gotten to sleep, she'd been up all night thanks to the nightmares and being sick for some reason or another for the eighth night in a row.

"Go away."

"You sleep too much. You used to be up at the ass crack of dawn, Ana." Morgan stated matter of factly as he stood over her, bowl of cereal in hand, munching as he looked down at her, concern in his eyes. He knew by now that his older sister had been through literal hell, but he suspected that maybe it went deeper than anyone realized.

"Yeah? Well you used to stay out of my damn Rice Krispies." Ana retorted, cranky. She'd been sick on her stomach over half the night before, just like the eight nights before it, and she'd sort of been mentally drained after talking to Dr. Kevin Coe at the hospital, her session.

Her father had suggested it, said that it might do her some good to talk to someone who could just listen and reflect without any emotional tie to the situation. She talked to him, of course, but when she did, he'd just want to go to California and find Vincent, 'take care of him' or something. She got the feeling that her father, of course, was digging around and that he knew something about Vincent that maybe she didn't because his alert was at an all time high. Considering he was already overprotective to begin with, that worried her.

They butted heads about that a lot. She told him she wanted her father not behind bars, he told her he wanted assholes like Vincent and Sonny's own former stepfather Deke buried 6 feet under where they belong after a slow and painful death.

So seeing a therapist had been her father's idea.

And it'd been hell, rehashing the past 2 or 3 years of his subtle abusive patterns and then his final snap into physical abuse.

But it was a necessary evil.

And even when it drained her, it did help her.

Morgan chuckled and then said "Someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"Someone slept on the wrong side of the bed is more like it. I think I might have gotten 3 hours of sleep tops last night. Is there some kinda virus going around?" Ana asked as she got up and took the bowl of cereal from her brother, taking a few bites which made him pout at her before asking "Not that I know of, why?"

"Because, Morgan, I was sooooo sick last night. I mean I thought that time I got the flu when we were little was something. I really thought I was going to throw up the lining of my stomach. I've been sick for a while now.. It's gotta be stress and me worrying about everything." Ana said quietly as she scribbled the date of her next job interview onto a calendar above her desk after checking her voicemail and finding out when it was going to be.

"Whoa.. And you just ate my cereal?" Morgan joked, stepping back, pretending to make the sign of a cross at her. She glared and then poking out her tongue said "Careful Mo.. I can tickle your ribs."

"And I'm bigger now.. And I can run faster." Morgan said as he smirked and fluffed her hair. She'd never liked having her hair fluffed as a kid, he'd always done it to annoy her and usually when he did, it resulted in the two of them chasing each other around the house.

He took off at a run and passed Olivia in the hallway, Olivia grumbled and then smiled to herself when Ana ran past seconds later, hot on her brother's heels. "Some kids never grow up." she muttered as a vision hit her before she could even sit down and prepare herself for it to happen...

_xxxxx_

_Ana stood in the kitchen making popcorn from the smell of it. Glass shattered and a man yelled something out. Ana turned to the side, at which point it was quite obvious that Ana was pregnant. The fear in Ana's eyes was almost enough to make Olivia want to scream at her to get out of there, but before she actually could scream, a man walked in and Ana took off at a run._

_Xxxxx_

She debated for a moment on running to find Sonny, telling him what she'd seen just now. She never really got visions like that one had been, usually, they were something she'd have to interpret on her own. That one, however, was pretty much crystal clear, cut and dried.

Except the part about Ana being pregnant.

She stared down the hallway and shook her head, rubbing her arms as the bad feeling finally went away and she felt okay again. Then she walked into Sonny's home office and said calmly, quietly, "Ana might be in trouble, Sonny."

Sonny looked at her a moment and she sat down, explained calmly, "I had one of those things.. And I saw a guy taking her right out of this house."

"It won't happen, Olivia. I've got security tighter now that she's home, now that this Vincent asshole is in the picture. Didn't you say they were wrong sometimes?" Sonny asked as Olivia nodded but insisted "This one didn't feel wrong, Sonny. Felt like a warning."

He nodded. He'd make sure Milo and his other guys working security kept their eyes open at all times. Olivia said quietly, "She was pregnant.. In my vision."

Sonny blinked.

She'd been sick for almost the entire time she'd been back in Port Charles. She insisted it was stress and her usual seasonal allergies.. But what if it weren't?

He immediately started to worry about his second oldest child. If she were pregnant then things might just get one hell of a lot more complicated.

Especially if that bastard Vincent showed up anytime soon. Sonny knew he hadn't stopped calling or harassing Ana. He also knew that Dante was talking to a friend of his from the police academy who just happened to be a detective at LAPD about Vincent and actions that could be taken legally.

If things had to get illegal, Sonny figured he had that under control. He'd done worse.

Down the hall, Ana and Morgan stopped running and Ana darted into the bathroom, shutting the door in her younger brother's face. "Hey! The hell?" he called through the door. He heard her being sick and opened the door, walked in and picked her up.

"That's it. One way or another, Ana, you're gonna go to a doctor." Morgan said as Ana grumbled and then insisted "Put me down. It's stress, okay? It's the constant fear I'm feeling of Vincent showing up and Daddy doing something totally stupid and going to prison. It's worrying about what I'm gonna do now, what my next move is in life. There is nothing wrong with me.." she trailed off as she caught sight of a box of unopened tampons sitting in the open cabinet of her vanity sink.

"Shit." she muttered, voice flat. She sat down on the stone floor and put her head in her hands, groaning as she realized what just might be making her sick. Then the real fear set in.. What was she going to do if Vincent was dumb enough to show up and he found out she was pregnant or might be?

Morgan heard her muttering and then said quietly, "You okay?"

"No, Morgan.. No, I'm not actually."

"Wanna talk about it, Ana?"

She shook her head and biting her nails said quietly, "Just drive me to the pharmacy.. There's something I gotta do.." as Morgan nodded and said "Let me go tell Dad."

"No, don't. Let's just go." Ana said as she bit her lower lip. Morgan realized what his sister might be freaking about and then nodded as he said quietly, "Good idea. On the way there we'll stop by Michael's."

"But everytime you see him and Kiki.." Ana protested as Morgan shrugged and said "Don't argue.. We're family.. Sadly, that includes Michael, girlfriend stealing bastard. And if you really are pregnant, Ana, you're gonna need all of us."

"Morgan, I'm gonna be fine, okay? You seem to keep forgetting I'm older than you."

"And you seem to forget that I don't care if your older, Ana, I'm your brother. That means no matter what, you're stuck with me." Morgan insisted as Ana nodded.

"I'm gonna tell Dad later.. I just.. I wanna find out for sure first." Ana said quietly as Morgan nodded and then darted down the hall to the room he'd been staying in since he'd broken up with Ava, moved in with their father and started working at their father's coffee shop.

He walked out a few minutes later, keys to his car in hand as he called out to Sonny's office door, "Me and Ana are gonna run into town, Dad."

"Be careful." Sonny answered as he sat behind his desk, floored by what Olivia had 'seen' and told him about. He was getting one of his bad feelings. And sadly, whenever he got one of his bad feelings, something bad usually happened.

As soon as the front door to Greystone shut he picked up the phone and called Sean. "I want guards on Ana. I've got a bad feeling about this ex of hers."

Sean paused a moment and then said quietly, "You got it, man. I'll tell Max and Milo later. I'll watch her myself when I can."

"Even if she argues and tries her very best to ditch them." Sonny insisted as Sean chuckled and then pointed out "She is grown."

"She's still my little girl. And she might be in danger right now. Especially if what you found out about this Vincent bastard is even remotely true. If he's another one of Julian's kids, I swear to God I'll personally go over and kill Julian myself and then this little bastard Vincent." Sonny said calmly, his tone authoritative.

Standing in line at the pharmacy with the EPT in her hand, she felt more nervous than she'd ever felt in her life. And excited. The shock she'd felt at the realization was wearing off now and she was beginning to realize that she wanted the baby she might be pregnant with.

And that she wasn't going to let Vincent anywhere near it either. If she had to, she'd tell her kid in a few years that she'd met a guy and it hadn't worked out. She was perfectly willing to do whatever it took to keep Vincent from finding out about the baby she might be carrying.

And if he dared to show up now?

It'd be his absolute final mistake. Her father wouldn't have to hurt him, she'd personally make sure he suffered a slow and painful death.

Not just for her sake.

For her potential unborn child's sake.

She tapped her foot nervously against a tacky and decidedly out of date retro linoleum floor and turned around to see what Morgan was doing.

He was in line at the Red Box machine.

The guy held out the 5 other items she'd grabbed to cover up the damn EPT and the fact that she, Ana Corinthos was buying it, and proceeded to drop seconds ago, and he asked her "I think you dropped this?"

"Yeah." Ana said quietly as she took the other items and then said "Thanks." prepared to turn back around. But the guy asked her, "Hey.. You're Dante's little sister.. I mean one of them.. Right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Ana asked, looking at him. No, he hadn't lived in Port Charles when she was younger, she hadn't went to school with him or anything. She'd never met him before now.

"I'm his partner. I've seen pictures of you guys on his desk." Nathan admitted, not adding _'And I've seen you around town. I've bugged the living hell out of Dante to tell me more about you, and yes, I saw you come in here today so I made an excuse to come in, now here I am, talking to you.' _because for one thing, he knew what Dante drilled into his head about Ana, how she was just coming through a really, really bad time in her life and for another, he just didn't really feel like sounding like some sort of stalker.

But he had been trying to find the perfect excuse to talk to her for a while now and finally, he'd gotten it.

But naturally, overprotective little brother Morgan showed up and asked bluntly, "This guy bugging you, Ana?" as he shot Detective West a look.

"Morgan, don't be an ass." Ana said as she looked at Nathan and managed a sheepish smile then said "Yeah, I thought you looked familiar. He told me about you, actually."

"Oh really. Well, if it was bad, he was probably just being an ass." Nathan joked a little as Ana looked at him a moment, flinched away. He realized their arms brushed and he instantly felt like a jerk as Dante's warnings about just how skittish his baby sister was now came back to haunt him.

"I'll keep that in mind, Detective." Ana said quietly as she turned around, faced the front of the line again, biting her lower lip. She felt like an idiot for flinching, they'd just accidentally brushed arms in line, damn it. How long was it going to take before she wasn't jumping at air practically? Or waking up at night screaming?

How long until she was normal again?

When she turned around again she saw him walking out the door and then muttered to herself "Smooth one, Ana. Guy was just being nice and making conversation. He now thinks you're a freak."

"That guy's a dick." Morgan commented as he said "Got some horror movies."

"Did you get Endless Love?"

"Hell no." Morgan said as Ana scowled and pointed to the Red Box machine as she said calmly, "Morgan Stone Corinthos, I told you to get me Endless Love. Maybe you can learn a thing or two from Alex Pettyfer's character."

"You just wanna sit around and drool over the guy." Morgan protested as she looked at him and said with a begging pout, "Please? I sat through all of the Fast and the Furious, Friday Night Lights AND Varsity Blues.. Not to mention that really, really weird show you watch."

"It's American Horror Story and it's not weird."

"It's fucked up, Mo."

"Not as fucked up as those Italian soap operas and the telenovellas you watch, Ana."

Finally, he gave in and got the movie, grumbling the entire time the two siblings stood in line only to comment with a smile, "Glad you're home. I missed you being around, Spitfire."

"I missed you too, Pain in the Ass." Ana answered, the two siblings sharing a smile as they looked at each other.

About an hour later, after two more stops, one for pizza, the other for beer to drink while watching the movies he'd rented (Morgan's) and a snowcone (Ana), the two of them sat on Michael's couch as Michael read his older sister the riot act.

Not really, but he did start saying that he was going to 'handle things'. Kiki butted in and said quietly, "If you want to take the test... Bathrooms the last room down the hall.. I'll work on calming Michael down."

Ana looked at her a moment and then stood, taking the test out of the paper bag. Once she was in the bathroom, Morgan told Michael everything he knew about Vincent, including some things he'd overheard Sean telling Sonny when he'd shown up at the mansion earlier.

"So this guy.. He might be my uncle?" Kiki asked as she looked at the closed bathroom door and then muttered something quietly that almost sounded like "All the pathetic ones.. Do I have any decent family other than Sam and my father?" before turning her attention back to Michael and Morgan who were at that very second debating on just what to do if Vincent showed up in town and if it came to be that he was who Sonny and Sean seemed to think the guy was...

The timer went off and Ana nearly jumped a mile, almost fell into the tub next to the toilet. She stood on shaky legs and picked up the EPT.

It was positive.

She took a few huge breaths and then the worry set in.. Just what was she going to do if Vincent came after her? How the hell was she going to keep her baby safe from a monster without dragging her family into things? She swore and then said quietly "I can do this. I will do this. Whatever it takes, Peanut.. I'm gonna keep you safe." as her hand went to her stomach.

She knew she'd have to stop by the Ob – Gyn on Monday after her therapy session and take a real test, but somehow she just had this feeling.. She already knew what the answer was going to be..

She was pregnant.

And in the middle of some serious shit, apparently.

If only she knew just how serious the shit she was in the middle of was...


	5. A Run In With An Old Flame Pt I

CHAPTER 03

_Running Into An Old Flame_

The sun shining on his face never got old. He'd been on the outside for a little over a week now and he was just taking it all in, trying to find his place in society.

He'd been in prison for almost 8 years now, he'd went in at 19 for stopping his twin brother Alec from murdering more people and framing him.

Naturally, because he'd killed someone and he was a mobster's son, this town looked down on him. They always had and it still didn't bother him, just as it hadn't bothered him back then. He'd had a while to let his thick skin get even thicker.

He moved through the crowd on the sidewalk mostly unseen until he turned a corner, smacked straight into her. Seeing Ana standing there was a suckerpunch to the gut. It took him all the way back to the summer before college, when they dated after he lost Georgie and pretty much every semblance of a normal life along with her. Everyone deserted him because everyone believed he was the TMK.

Everyone but Ana, of course.

"Ana?"

"Diego? You're out of prison." Ana said as she realized just how much she actually had missed him while she was in California. He'd written a few times, but the last letter he'd written was burned by her ex before she could even read it or respond to it. She'd cried for about 2 hours that night.

Then her ex apologized and said that he'd just been afraid he was going to lose her to another guy and she'd forgiven him like the idiot she felt like she was now.

"Yeah.. Good behavior and all that. You're back for a visit?" he asked as he looked at her. He didn't need to ask her, he knew something was wrong with her, she looked different, worried, even a little afraid. Was she afraid of him? Had he lost her too?

Something told him her 'hunted' look had nothing to do with him, but with something else entirely.

"No, actually, I'm back here to stay. Things in California.. They didn't work out like I hoped." Ana admitted quietly as he nodded and responded "What happened?" concerned look on his face. She sighed and muttered something.

He stepped closer, intending to hug her or something, he wanted to touch her, he needed to touch her, he craved the way it felt to hold her in his arms again but she flinched back and then sighed as she looked down as if she were ashamed.

What the hell happened to her out there?

This was not the spitfire Ana, the take on the world Ana that'd left Port Charles and him behind.

This Ana was different. Everything scared her.

Even him.

"Sorry, I.." Ana started as she looked up at him and then said with a soft and small smile, "It was good to see you again." as she started to walk away. He stopped her and she turned around, looked at him with a raised brow. "That's all? It was good to see me again?" he asked as he looked at her, confused and a little hurt.

Not angry, just hurt.

"Diego, I..." she started, right as Milo and Max walked out of her father's coffee shop. She looked at him and then took a few deep breaths as she said "I'm not that girl anymore, Diego.. You wouldn't want me." quietly. He shook his head and then said firmly, "But we could talk about everything. Us against the world, remember?"

She sighed and then said quietly after looking around, moving farther up the sidewalk, out of sight of Max and Milo, "The gazebo in the park tonight."

He nodded solemnly and she looked at him a few moments. The sound of her name being called had her grumbling and she said quickly, "I'll see you?"

He nodded and watched her walk away, wondered what had happened to her while she'd been in California, why she stopped writing to him, what he'd done wrong.

Ana turned back because she felt him staring at her and she reminded herself mentally _'It's better this way. You're damaged now, Ana. Besides, your father and his father.. Two very good reasons that you'd never be able to be with him. And what if he turns out to be a monster too? You thought Vincent wasn't and he turned into one.. What if all men have a monster inside them?'_

She caught up to Max and Milo and Milo asked her, "Where did you go? Mr. C said.."

"Milo, I'm not a baby. We're the same age. I am allowed to do things alone, am I not?" she asked as she looked up at him, moody now, a little more than upset that she hadn't even been able to muster up the nerve to hug her former boyfriend just now. She knew what it must have looked like to him, he'd lost her too.

She hated that.

"Yeah, but.." Milo started, her glare silencing him as she bit her lower lip and said "Can we just go back to my dad's now?" while standing there, trying to get her head around what she'd found out from the doctors only just an hour or two beforehand.

She was pregnant.

Her child's father, Vincent, was not only a monster, but probably Julian Jerome's son, and if that were true, then he'd probably just been trying to get into her father's organization the easy way, by marrying her.

It scared her, really, to realize just how close she'd come to letting that all happen.

And it scared her now that because of her stupidity and her naievete, her unborn child was probably going to suffer somehow.

Her kid wasn't even born yet and she was already failing it.

She got into the backseat of the SUV and let Milo and Max drive her to her father's mansion with the weight of the world on her mind. She wondered, of course, if Diego was even going to meet her at the gazebo in the park tonight, or if after today, he was going to assume she hated him and she'd turned on him too.


	6. A Run In With An Old Flame Pt II

CHAPTER 03

_Running Into An Old Flame, Continued  
_

He didn't show up to start off with, that night. She'd waited for hours, and he hadn't shown. With a resigned sigh, she left the gazebo and started to walk back towards the place she'd parked her car. About halfway down the sidewalk, she heard footsteps behind her and she stopped, was about to turn and look over her shoulder when she felt the tap on her left shoulder.

Nathan stood there holding out her cell phone when she turned around. She felt her throat tighten just a little when she saw he was wearing sweats and a tanktop, he'd obviously been running around the track and seen her. "You dropped this at the gazebo." he said as she nodded and took her phone, just a little jittery. "Are you alright?" he asked as she nodded quickly and then said in a sheepish tone, "You scared me a little."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to."

"It's okay, it's not exactly your fault, I'm just.. Nevermind." Ana said quietly as she bit her lower lip and then said "You run a lot?"

"Only when I have things on my mind." Nathan said as she nodded and then admitted, "I was waiting on someone. Apparently he decided not to show up." to which Nathan nodded and then asked "You didn't get Max or Milo to come out with you?"

"I grew up here, Detective. I pretty much know my way around." Ana said with a light smile as she said next "Besides, it gets a little annoying, having people follow me around. I just wanna be normal."

Nathan nodded. He could totally understand it, though he wanted to point out that given her situation, or at least her situation as he knew it to be from Dante, her brother and his partner on the force, maybe a guard wasn't a bad idea.

"Let me walk you to your car, at least." Nathan asked politely as Ana gave one last look to the gazebo and then said "Okay."

They walked across the parking lot and soon enough stood at her Eclipse. He looked at her and asked "Are you really okay? This person you were meeting.."

"Was Diego.. I owed him an explanation about some things. Apparently, he made his own mind up and thinks that the exact opposite of what's really going on is true." Ana answered honestly as she looked at Nathan and then said "He probably thinks I'm like everyone else now, and I've turned my back on him too."

Nathan looked at her, confused. She shook her head and then said quietly, "It's a really, really long story. We have.. We had history."

He nodded knowingly then and said quietly, "Well, if he's blowing you off.." as he added mentally, _'he's an idiot. If it were me, i'd have at least wanted to hear what you had to say.' _which she nodded to and then said with a shrug "It is what it is."

"What were you going to tell him?"

"Why I reacted to him hugging me the way I did.. What was wrong with me earlier when he saw me in town. Why we wouldn't ever work and why he deserved better." Ana admitted as Nathan looked at her a moment, brow raised. She waved her hands and said "Trust me, it's complicated."

He nodded and then said quietly, "Anything you wanna talk about?"

"Well, I'm pregnant for one thing. That's gonna be common knowledge sooner or later, as small as this town is.. My ex, the bastard, god I hope he rots in hell, put me through some things.. I basically left and now I'm afraid.." as Nathan finished, "That he's gonna show up here.. And you came out alone tonight?"

"Had to.. Alcazars and Corinthos aren't exactly old friends." Ana said as Nathan nodded and then admitted "Dante said something earlier about the ex."

"Mhmm.. Figured he would. He's my big brother and I love him to pieces, but my God in heaven he is so nosy. And bossy." Ana said as she looked up at Nathan who said quietly, "He's just looking out for you."

She nodded and then said quietly, "This is me.. Thanks for walking me to my car and giving me my phone back. Maybe I'll see you around?"

He nodded and smiling said "The Nurses Ball."

"Actually, I got roped into going." Ana laughed as he said "Just watch. I got roped into performing."

"That should be interesting.. It's not the Magic Milo thing?"

He blushed and chuckled and Ana laughed as she said "That should be really interesting to see." before unlocking her car and getting in, sitting down in the driver seat. She'd been just about to leave when Diego's Porsche slid into the parking space beside the oen she was about to pull out of.

"Sorry, I had to deal with something." Diego muttered as he looked at her and asked "You were about to leave?"

"I thought you weren't coming."

He sighed and then said "Can we at least talk about what you said you wanted to tell me earlier?" while looking at her, his eyes pleading. She nodded and then said quietly, " My ex.. he might come after me.. He kept me from writing you.. He actually messed me up pretty badly." as she looked up at him. He nodded and said quietly, "I've heard."

"Huh?"

"Ran into Morgan earlier, Morgan thought it'd be wise to tell me what might happen if I hurt you like that other guy did." Diego admitted as the earlier conversation came back to him full force and he found himself sickened and angry all over again at what the guy had done to Ana.

And if the guy's father was a Jerome?

Diego might just want to take over his father's 'business' after all. Just to go after Julian.

And his bastard son for hurting Ana.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Ana asked as Diego said "That you're pregnant too."

"Damn it. He told you that too?"

"Actually, I saw you leaving Dr. Westbourne's earlier. Doesn't take a genius to figure out what was going on." Diego admitted as he added "But Morgan confirmed." and looked at her, migrating closer to her. She flinched away, of course, but knowing why, he didn't feel the same degree of hurt and anger at it that he had earlier.

Instead he just felt rage and the overwhelming desire to find this Vincent asshole and make him pay.

"Saw you talking to that cop."

"Nathan's a decent guy." Ana said as Diego nodded and then said quietly, " I am too.." his voice trailing off. She nodded and then said quietly, "Diego, please don't do this."

He nodded and said quietly, "Sorry.. I just.. Seeing you again earlier.. Kinda made me realize just how much I missed you then and how much I love you. Even if we're not together."

She nodded and said quietly, "I'm too messed up."

"I'm right here. If you need me for anything."

She looked at him a few moments, biting her lower lip. He sighed and said quietly "I'm just glad you got the fuck out of that." as he hugged her against him, his hands raking through her hair. She tried to loosen up and let him hold her, but old habits.

Vincent's abuse had certainly done a number on her.

She hugged him back and said quietly "I just.. I have to get my head on, okay? I have a lot on my mind right now."

He nodded and said quietly, "I know. I just.. I've wanted to say that for so long. I had to say it, even if you didn't want to hear it."

She sighed as she looked up at him.

He looked at her and said quietly, "I'm not gonna push you. But if you need me, Ana, for anything." as she smiled and said "You really are a sweetheart, Diego. I wish this were all different. I wish we hadn't had to end things back then."

He nodded and said "We're adults now, Ana."

"We are." Ana said as she looked at him and managed a smile. He helped her back into her car and leaned in the window said quietly, "I'll see you somehow.. I don't want to lose you."

She nodded and pulled out of the parking lot, driving back to her father's house.

She snuck into her room and flopped across the bed and lie there in the dark trying to figure things out. She didn't know what to feel anymore.

She did know that she wanted to just be okay again. That she was sick and tired of fearing Vincent.

That she had more than just herself to think about now so it was imperitave that she made sure whatever she might do was in the best interest of herself and her child.

And then she thought about what she'd had with Diego, what she felt around her brother's partner on the force Nathan, how torn she felt.

And then she reminded herself that no matter what she might think she felt, she had to get herself together again. She was broken now, nobody would want the baggage that came with her.

At least that's what she thought just as she finally fell asleep.


	7. An Unlikely Hero Pt I

CHAPTER 04

_An Unlikely Hero  
_

She wasn't sure how Vincent managed to find her in Port Charles, or why he'd shown up now, it wasn't what she'd expected, to say the least, but Ana knew the second she caught sight of him in a crowded store on the main street of town that she'd better get the hell out of sight and fast. She instantly felt like a huge idiot for ditching Max and Milo and telling her brothers Michael and Morgan she just wanted to be alone. She palmed her forehead and groaned quietly as she ducked quickly out of sight and smacked straight into Johnny Zacharra's back. He turned and looked at her, amused grin as he said "When did you get back, Ana?"

"No time." Ana stated as she tried to move past him but Johnny, of course, wasn't having that. "Where are dumb and dumber?" he asked as she said quietly, "Left them at the mansion. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to feel normal for a few hours. Like everybody else who doesn't crave the constant bullshit?" and looked up at him, impatient, practically squirming and wincing. She could hear Vincent calling her name and she could hear him getting closer.

"How do you know this son of a bitch?" Johnny asked her, curious. The man who was apparently trying like hell to get her attention had all but marched in on a Zacharra meeting earlier and announced his intentions on running every organized crime family but himself out of Port Charles. He wanted to start with Julian Jerome, oddly enough. There were rumors going around, of course, that Jerome, the bastard, was the guy's father and he'd purposely refused to acknowledge Vincent's existance when Vincent's mother went to tell Julian about him.

So the guy seemed to be at least a few fries short a happy meal from the get go. Johnny had laughed, of course and then shoved his gun in Vincent's face then shrugged and said "You're welcome to try, man.. But the last guy? Didn't go so well for him. And it's not gonna go so well for you either. Nobody's gonna take over my turf. They haven't yet and they're not gonna start now." before having one of the security guys toss the guy out on his mentally unstable ass.

What had him curious now, though, was how the hell Ana knew him to begin with? He wasn't from around here. Johnny didn't know where the hell the guy was from, but he knew it wasn't Port Charles. He made it his business to know everyone, it was a wise move, he knew who his friends were, who his enemies were this way.

But he didn't know this insane fucking idiot.

"It's a long story that's frankly none of your business." Ana retorted as Johnny looked at her. That was genuine fear in her warm brown eyes. She wasn't joking. She was terrified of this bastard for whatever reason. The thought had Johnny both alarmed and intrigued. Alarmed because he'd always had this secret thing for Ana, and intrigued because Ana didn't spook easily.

Or she hadn't before now, at least.

"You can tell me while we're getting the hell out of here. What the hell were you thinkin, Ana, leavin without your guards? Your dad gave 'em to ya for a reason." Johnny grumbled as he took hold of her elbow and lead her down an alley and to the parking lot on the next block that his fire engine red Porsche sat in. He opened the passenger door and let her in then got in on his side and said "You can thank me now."

"Thanks.." Ana muttered, still shaking like a leaf, looking in the passenger side exterior mirror while biting that luscious and full lower lip of hers. Johnny looked at her and asked "So.. This story.."

"He's an ex. I met him in California.. And now he's here to finish what he started. Pretty much all you need to know.. Why do you care, anyway, Johnny? We've never actually gotten along."

_'We could've, babe, but Alcazar was always in the damn way. If I'd have made my move first though..' _Johnny thought to himself as he coughed and then said casually, "Just curious. Never said I cared. Diego wasn't around to save the day? Figured with him being out of prison and you being back in town.."

"I'm better off alone." Ana cut in quickly as she fixed her eyes on the treeline as it flew past. She looked at him and asked with a raised brow, "Where the hell are you taking me?"

"To your father's. I'm gonna talk to him about that son of a bitch we just saw. Something the guy did earlier today.. Let's just say he's now on my shitlist too for more reasons than one." Johnny said as he mentally added _'Because I heard what he did to you, Ana.. And I'm not gonna let him get away with it. Even if you hate me. Even if you'd rather die than ever give me a chance to prove I'm not just a cocky bastard who hates your dad and would go out of his way to prove it.' _ the thought shocking him even as it crept slowly through his mind and then stuck, repeating over and over.

"Are you nuts? My dad will shoot you on sight. And he'll kill me." Ana muttered as she shifted her gaze to him. When they'd been younger, she'd had this huge crush on him. She didn't dare tell him, her father would've killed them both right there. Especially considering she'd already went against his rules once and dated Diego.. And if she hadn't stopped him the night he'd seen them together..

Diego wouldn't be breathing right now.. And when she showed up at Greystone with Johnny?

She could already hear her father's lecturing and probably the other things that were going to happen. She groaned inwardly and then tried to calm down. The shocking thing was that Johnny hadn't thought, he'd just gotten her out of there. As far as she knew, however, Johnny hated her. He'd actually called her a bitch more than a few times.

She deserved it then, but still.. They weren't exactly best friends or anything. They tended to try and go to great lengths to avoid each other. So his 'rescuing' her just now was a little baffling to her, of course..

_'There's something in it for him. He's no different than he's always been, you know that, Ana. He wasn't being a good guy, he wasn't doing it because he actually cared.. HE was doing it because at some point, later on, he's gonna make your dad repay the favor.' _she automatically thought. His facial expression, however, showed that he was angry about something.

"How do you know him?" Ana asked as Johnny chuckled and said "Because.. Sooner or later, Ana, I'm gonna have to end him. He thinks he's gonna take apart all the organized crime families in this town.. For one reason or another, he wants to target Julian first. And the idiot had the nerve to come by and tell me I was next."

She groaned and said quietly _'That motherfucker.. He snooped through my stuff.. He probably found something that mentioned Johnny and Diego, maybe the way I used to feel torn between both of them back then.. And now, obviously, he's going to target everyone I might care about.' _as she looked at him and then spoke aloud, "Did he say why?"

"Just said he's the alpha male. And he's gonna prove it to every one in the business." Johnny said as he looked at Ana and asked quietly, "That other stuff people are saying.. About you being, you know.. Is it true?"

She groaned and biting her lower lip she said "Nice to live in a small town.. Everybody knows all your crap.. Yes, Johnny, I am pregnant." Ana explained as he looked at her and then said "And you went out without your father's men, why?"

"Because, Johnny, I thought I'd be alright. I got used to doing things on my own while I lived in California and with everyone breathing down my neck, I just needed time alone. Because they're all driving me completely and totally batshit insane." Ana admitted as he looked at her and then said quietly, "I know how it feels.. But that guy, Ana.. He's not all there upstairs."

"No shit. And now he's here. I knew I should've just ran and hidden out to get away. Now he's here and it's all going to happen again. And it's all my fault." Ana groaned as she held her head in her hands, upset by this knowledge.

How could she have been such an idiot?

How could she not have seen that Vincent was a real monster? Of the worst kind?

And now, more importantly, how was she going to stop him from doing whatever he came to do to her?


	8. An Unlikely Hero Pt II

CHAPTER 05

_An Unlikely Hero Pt II  
_

"I'm tellin you, Sonny, the guy stormed my place and basically told me he was gunning for every mobster in town. And just now, when I saw him chasing Ana, he seemed a little out there, ya know? Like the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?" Johnny spoke bluntly as he sat in the chair across the desk from Sonny, who was looking at him with a brow raised, as if he were considering the situation.

"And he said he's gunning for Julian first?" Sonny mused as Johnny nodded and said calmly, "He did. I'm gonna make a move on the bastard first though. Just thought I'd bring Ana home." Johnny insisted as Sonny nodded and gave him a hard glare as he said "Doesn't mean I like you. But thanks. I swear to God I've got no idea why she'd leave this house without Max or Milo. She won't be again though, you can bet on that. You can go now. You did your good deed for the week." Sonny said as he waved his hands at Johnny dismissively. Johnny laughed at him and then standing said "She's grown, Sonny. Just telling you. Sooner or later, man, she's gonna get with a guy."

"And it won't be you." Sonny said firmly as Johnny shrugged and said calmly, "Never know about that." just to push the man's buttons a little. He walked out of the den, past Ana who stood in the hallway, looking at him with a confused look on her face. He said calmly, "What? Were ya listenin at the door?"

"Long enough to hear you try and force my father's hand into an arranged marriage. Kind of archaic, don't you think? And pointless considering you hate me and I'm indifferent to you."

"Yeah? Well maybe you don't know me like you thought." Johnny said with a calm smirk as Max showed up, escorted him out the door. Ana stood there, watching him go, shaking her head, fuming in anger quietly. What made Johnny do that?

They'd never liked one another before, she'd liked him even less when Claudia had been married to her father. He went out of his way then to tease her or hurt her feelings.

_'It's just Johnny, being Johnny, as usual.' _Ana reminded herself firmly as she walked into the den and sat down. "Before you say a word, dad. I went out without Max and Milo tonight because I just wanted to get out on my own. I wanted to think, I needed time alone. Without everyone breathing down my neck about everything. You have to know how that is, right?" she said calmly as she fixed her eyes on her father and waited on the explosion.

Instead of an explosion, he nodded and said firmly, "It's not going to happen again. I take it you heard all that just now, huh? That kid's got balls." while looking at her. She muttered quietly "Yeah, he does. And he needs to be kicked in them." to herself but Sonny heard and laughed.

"That wasn't a joke. I'm not even sure why he made that offer to be honest. Guy hates me and the feeling is mutual. I mean it used to be one sided hatred, now it's pretty much both of us." Ana stated calmly as Sonny looked at her a few moments and then said quietly, " Or maybe you just think you hate him, huh?"

"Nope, daddy, pretty sure I hate him." Ana said as she took a few deep breaths and said "I'm sorry. For leaving tonight without guards." before kissing her father on his forehead, going upstairs to her own room to sleep. She flopped back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling for a few hours and raised a brow when she heard what sounded like stones being thrown at the walll next to her bedroom window. She slid off the bed and walked to the window, peered down into the yard. Johnny stood there, arms crossed, stone in one of his hands.

"What do you want?"

"Wanted to talk to ya.. Let's take a walk. Your dad's gone to sleep now." Johnny said as she looked at him with a raised brow and hissed "Why do you want to talk to me?"

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay, damn it. Why do you ask so many damn questions?" Johnny asked as he started to scale the trellis of flowers that ran up the wall, lead to her bedroom window. She glared at him as he tumbled through her window and flopped onto her bed.

"Make yourself at home then." she muttered as Johnny looked around the soft colored room and at her, held up a stuffed animal and snickered." Kiss my ass, Zacharra."

"You still have stuffed animals?"

"Why not?" she asked defensively as he snickered again, shrugged. She looked at him and asked warily, "So.. you wanted to talk to me, so talk."

"That offer I made earlier.. I wasn't doing it for a bad reason. And I'm not the guy you think I am, Ana."

"Sure you're not, Johnny. You've done nothing but make fun of me, try to piss me off or hurt my feelings as long as we've known each other. How the hell am I supposed to actually believe anything you say?" she asked as he looked at her, raised to a sitting position and leaned in, muttered calmly, "Okay, fine, that's how you want it to be huh? Well I guess I'll just have to do that." before looking at her a few moments and then calmly climbing back down the side of her father's house.

"What's with him tonight?" she wondered aloud as she flopped onto her bed again, holding the stuffed Pegasus he'd been laughing about against her chest a few moments as she tried to figure things out as they stood currently.

And even after all that thinking, she had no idea what to make of the 3 very different men trying to be in her life right now. But she did know that it was still too soon and she was still on the mend.


	9. I'm Not Made Of Glass

CHAPTER SIX

_I'm Not Made Of Glass_

The music was playing at a low volume from the area in the basement that Ana had taken over long ago as her personal 'dance studio' and Sonny found himself standing in the doorway just watching his daughter, wondering if it were actually safe for her and the baby she was carrying to even be moving around that much or like she was.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked as the Flo-Rida song came to a stop and she did also, sitting on one of the padded mats, leaned against a wall, drinking the bottled water in her hands as she took a few long deep breaths.

"I'm not made of glass, Daddy."

"I know, Ana, but the baby.."

"Dr. Westbourne specifically said it was okay to exercise, even encouraged me to keep on if I was in the habit of doing so. As long as it's nothing too strenuous, not like running 5ks or something. Said it'll make the delivery a lot easier for me." Ana said quietly as she looked up at her father, her bangs falling in her eyes.

"Running 5ks, huh? Did you do that?" Sonny asked as Ana nodded and smiling a little said "A few times. I liked the color runs better, they were messy and fun, bright. I did it for charities on campus, me and a few of the other girls I roomed with there."

He looked at her wondering just how much of her life he'd been left out of while she was attending college in California. He felt like an outsider looking in. But things had been really strained between them before she left because he'd made her break things off with Alcazar's kid.

And apparently, she'd been upset by it.

And now, he found himself wondering if maybe Carly weren't right, maybe he should pick his battles with his kids, not try and be lord and ruler of all or their best friends.

Because he'd done both with Ana and there was no fine line, he knew that now. He shook his head and walked into the room, sat down beside her and asked her quietly, "It's not my fault, right? That Vincent guy.. If I'd just backed off.."

"Dad, no.. That was all on me. It was and is my mistake. I'm not some perfect little angel. I'm a human, last I checked humans make mistakes. Unfortunately for me, mine was a massive fuck up of epic proportions." Ana replied quietly as she took a long sip from her water bottle. "Have you tried yoga?" she asked as she looked at her father. He shook his head and she said with a slight smirk "It's good for tension and people under massive stress. Helps condition the body too."

A Lana Del Ray song came on and the door to the basement opened, Milo peeked in and said with a raised brow, "Are you okay, Ana?"

"I'm good, Milo, not made of glass.. Just established this with daddy. I was just exercising." Ana said calmly as she added with a friendly smile, "But thanks for checking on me. Hey, are you going into town?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Get me some of that chili from Kellys? And some of their cheddar biscuits. I wanna dip the biscuits in the chili.." she said as both males looked at her with raised brows. Sonny chuckled and Ana shrugged then said "What? It's not like I'm eating dirt or coffee grinds."

"That's just.. It doesn't sound good."

"I was thinkin the same thing, Mr. C." Milo mused as Ana gave him that pleading look that allowed her escape from the confines of bodyguards 24 7 and he was a sucker for. He nodded and when he left Sonny looked at Ana and said with a shrug, " Your mom.. She wanted mint pistachio ice cream and bananas." as Ana nodded and laughed a little, her hand going to her stomach.

They didn't talk much about her mother but Ana knew that to some degree, her mother's death had turned Sonny into the closed off guy he'd become, always quick to have a fling but never the one to settle. Maybe Olivia was changing that about him, she had to hope so, she worried about her father about as much as he did her, if not more because unlike all of her siblings, he'd been her only parent. He'd raised her from the age of 4 when they were reunited.

"I miss her too.. I mean I didn't get to spend much time with her.. But I can remember sometimes, somebody singing to me.. Sounded like it was in some other language." Ana admitted as she held out the water bottle to her father who took it and took a sip as he nodded and smiled a faraway smile for a few moments then said "She did.. I used to tell her she was going to have you speaking her language better than English. Used to make her mad as hell at me."

Ana laughed a little and then said "I took a course or two in how to speak it. Just to try and feel closer to her while I was in California."

"Did it work?"

"Kinda, kind of not." Ana answered as she looked at her father and then asked him "Are you and Olivia serious?"

"We are, actually. Why?"

"She's good for you. I worry about you, Dad, a lot." Ana admitted as Sonny slid his arm around her and said quietly, "And I worry about all of you guys. I missed you while you were gone. Wasn't the same around here, too quiet. I used to come down here and just sit for a few hours."

Ana smiled a little and then wiped at her eye as she pouted and said "Don't make the pregzilla cry." while laughing a little at her horomones.

He remembered why he'd come down to the basement in the first place and said carefully, "So, Dante called for you earlier. I tried to get you but the music... He wanted to know if you felt up to going to a movie with him and Lulu?"

"Depends.. Is he just asking to spend time with me, or is he being nosy buttinsky big brother again? He's tried all week to set me up with Nathan, his partner. I just.. I'm too afraid to trust anyone again, Daddy. I don't want to let anybody in again. What if I make a mistake and my kid pays for it?"

Sonny looked at Ana and said quietly, "If you hadn't met Vincent. And you were just home for a visit.. What would you have said?" just out of curiousity. He wasn't particularly fond of any guy, none of them were ever going to be good enough for either of his girls he thought, but he figured out of the 3 pursuing her, if one didn't consider Milo's silent attempts, Nathan was the lesser of the evils.

He wasn't a bad guy, it was just his being on the PCPD that concerned Sonny. He knew how Lulu worried everytime Dante's work phone went off. Wasn't sure if he wanted Ana to worry like that.

She shrugged and said quietly "I might have said yes. He's pretty hot and he seems like a decent enough guy." which made Sonny groan and try to cover his ears.

"Good.. Because I thought that getting out was good for you so I told Dante and Lulu that you'd go with them. I don't think Nathan will be there, but just knowing you're out with Dante will make me feel better. You won't be cooped up in here jumping at shadows and going stir crazy. The fear is only gonna make Vincent think he's won."

She sighed. Her father was right. But she was so damn afraid of Vincent now, of most males in general, it was hard for her to break the habit.

She gave him a scowl for a moment and then her scowl softened and she said with a smile "Okay, Dad.. I get the hint."

"You said it yourself, Ana, you're not made of glass. And you used to have one hell of a lot more fight than you do now, kid. I hate it, seeing you beaten like this."

"I'm trying, dad."

"I know. But you got out. I'm proud of you for that alone. It's hard.. Your grandma never managed to get out and away from Deke. It wound up being her worst and last mistake. Lots of women don't get out in time."

Ana nodded and went upstairs to get ready, her father's conversation playing in her mind as she did so and she wondered if Dante did have an alterior motive for asking if she wanted to tag along tonight.

"Just give it a chance. Dante's hardly got time for anything with work and being a dad. It'll be nice to spend time with your big brother. Just do your best to deal with Nathan and not let yourself get caught up or seem too cold. Just gotta have a little balance." she told herself aloud as she put on a little makeup, got ready to go out.

Maybe, eventually, she'd be okay again.

At least she'd gotten out and she was alive, she had a baby on the way that was safe and would continue to be so thanks to her decision to get out before it was too late.

That counted for something, right?


	10. A Movie Date Pt I

CHAPTER SEVEN

_A Movie Date Pt I  
_

"Are you sure you're feelin up to this?" Dante asked for what had to be the millionth time as Ana looked at him, arms crossed and an unamused scowl on her face. "Dante... If I weren't up to it, I wouldn't have come. I'm fine. Just wish that you guys would stop acting like I'm made of glass or something because I'm not. I need to be tougher, actually, all things considered." Ana insisted as she sipped a bottled water, held her nephew on her hip while Lulu was finishing up her makeup. Lulu called out from the bedroom "He's just worried about you, Ana, we all are. So.. Are you okay with another person coming tonight? I didn't mention it before because.." as she stepped into the kitchen, Ana glaring at Dante before turning to Lulu and smiling, shrugging a little as she said "Doesn't matter to me.. And you don't have to explain.. I know my adorable and nosy as hell big brother, so I'm pretty sure what's going on." before turning her attention back to Dante who shrugged and said with at shake of his head, "Actually, the guy kinda just wanted to get out."

"So it is Nathan?"

"Mhmm.. No way in hell I was gonna invite Johnny or Diego, sis, you know that. Dad would have a shit fit and I'm an overprotective big brother who hated both those assholes the first time around." Dante said with a chuckle as Lulu spoke up and said "But Johnny did ask about you today.."

"Okay then.. Not sure why I suddenly matter, I mean I didn't before when I actually wanted the guy.. As far as Diego, Dante, he's not the guy you all say he is. He never was. He's good, he just.."

"Just nothing.. He drugged at least 5 people while he and Lulu were in high school, he was the brother of the TMK and the whole reason the TMK even came to Port Charles, in the first place, remember? To get even with Diego because he was Lorenzo's favorite son? Diego's not a good guy, either, sis and it worries me that you're still defending him, even now, even when you know he cheated on you back then with Brooklyn. Or did you forget that one?" Dante stated as he looked at his younger sister in concern. Ana sighed and shook her head. Dante, when convinced he was right, that he knew what was best, was probably twice as stubborn as their father was known for being. Ana loved her brother, but they'd butted heads quite often over her relationship with Diego and her slight childhood crush on Johnny. He didn't like either guy, that was a known fact.

"Okay, whoa.. Time out you two.. I've seen one of these sibling fights with you two and it's not pretty. Last time, Ana sat on you, Dante.. Do you really want to be sat on again?" Lulu joked lovingly as Dante fluffed his younger sister's hair and said quietly, "I just don't like those two. Never understood why you did. We okay?" as Ana nodded and said with a small smile, "Yeah, we're good. I just.. I don't see all the same stuff you guys do in a person, okay? I look past all the stupid or bad shit they've done."

The doorbell rang and Ana squeaked and after handing Ben off to Lulu, she made a mad dash for the bathroom to at least attempt to look halfway decent for this group date thing her brother and Lulu talked her father into talking her into. About 5 minutes later, she heard Nathan and Dante talking, probably about work, as she hurried to finish at least trying to look halfway decent and walked into the living room.

Nathan smiled and with a laugh asked her, "So that's why Dante insisted I come with you guys tonight, huh? I had my suspicions." as he smiled at her and added quickly, "Not that I minded, of course."

Ana bit her lower lip and shot Dante a look, feeling stupid. He'd insisted Nathan come with them? Dante groaned inwardly and sighed to himself. He hadn't been trying to shove them together like this, or he had, but he hadn't thought it'd backfire this early in the game. All he knew was what Morgan told him about the few run ins she'd had with Nathan, how they looked at each other. And yes, he'd enlisted Morgan and Michael's help with this whole blind date thing, all three males had agreed that it was better than Zacharra getting his hooks in or Alcazar getting his hooks in another time.

She needed good in her life after all the bad she'd been through. She needed a guy who was good for her and good to her. She needed to see that bad guys weren't as good as they seemed to be. She needed someone to protect her. Nathan could do all those things.. Plus the guy really liked her, to the point where he tended to go out of his way to try and run into her during the day, and he did it quite often.

"Sorry, I mean.. I don't have to go if.." Ana started, nervous and a little more than embarassed at the moment. Nathan shook his head and said with a smile, "I wanted him to ask you to come. I told him to do it so it's kinda my fault. I can't ever catch you without Max or Milo around to ask myself. So, Dante suggested tonight and I agreed and told him I'd definitely come with them if he asked you to come too." He looked at her and for a moment he wanted nothing more than to get his hands on her ex, Vincent, just one good time when he didn't have the pesky badge on him reminding him that he was one of the good guys. Ana studied him with a raised brow, for a moment it looked as if she didn't believe him, but finally, she smiled a little and said with a nervous laugh, "Just a little jumpy. Okay, so are we going now? Or?"

Olivia showed up to take Ben for the night and the four of them set off for the movie theater, they'd all pretty much already agreed that they wanted to see the new Captain America movie and all were talking excitedly about it as they got out of the car in the mall parking lot. Nathan's arm draped over her shoulder but only in a friendly way and he smiled as he mused aloud, "I never would've thought you liked comics."

"And why the hell not?" Ana asked boldly, with a smile and a laugh as he said with a shrug, "You look like the type of girl who'd rather watch a romantic comedy or something.. I mean if you wanna see a different movie than Lulu and Dante.. It's fine with me."

"Actually," Lulu spoke up, giving Dante a pleading look so he'd play along, thinking that maybe if Nathan and Ana had a little more time alone, they might get to know each other better, sensing potential sparks between the two, she continued, "I'd rather see that new romantic comedy that's out. You guys can see Winter Soldier though, I just checked on Fandango and they're both playing at the same time, so we can all meet up and grab a bite to eat before we go back to the apartment." Dante tried not to laugh. His wife was subtle as a sledgehammer sometimes, apparently, tonight was one of those times.

He tensed as he saw Diego edging into line for a movie and then whispered to Lulu, "Well, if we want this to work, and we want her with a good guy, we better get in the theaters now. Or Diego will walk over and ruin this."

"He's not that bad, Dante. He's just.. They dated once, and I think she was a little too blinded to see his flaws then. And now, he wants another chance. I don't think either of them really love the other one." Lulu whispered back as Ana noticed Diego and gave a polite wave. He gave her a hurt look but waved back and kept walking past the theater, bitter for a little while, wondering why she'd agree to a date with the new cop guy when he'd pretty much made it plain and laid it all out on the line for her, told her how he'd die to do things over, give them the chance they got screwed out of when they were teenagers.

Deep down, he just knew that he didn't actually feel the way he needed to about her, but it didn't stop him from hurting when he saw her out with other guys or something. And he was too stubborn to admit that they'd sort of grown apart since their teenage years and that maybe they'd be better off leaving the past in the past.

"Know that guy?" Nathan asked as Ana said quietly, "An ex boyfriend of mine. We're still friends but I'm just.. I don't think there's anything there beyond that." as she looked up at Nathan, not sure why she just blabbed that out for him. "Yeah, that happens a lot." Nathan offered as he looked at her and wondered why she and Diego had broken things off. He thought he remembered Dante saying that Sonny and Lorenzo, their fathers, had been behind it. Maybe it was as she said and there wasn't anything left between them, any old feelings or anything.

He wanted to get to know her, he didn't want to stand in the way or be competition with anyone. Especially not Diego Alcazar or Johnny Zacharra. He wasn't in town to ignite some ancient mob war, even if he somehow just had this gut feeling that Ana would be more than worth it. Ana snapped her fingers in his face and held out an over filled and slightly over buttered popcorn to him as she ate a few pieces and said "Got the tickets to Winter Soldier.. Sorry about the popcorn, I tend to overdo it.. There's nothing like movie theater popcorn though, right?" while smiling up at him. He smiled back and nodded in agreement and added "Or nachos."

"And you surprise me, sir.. I never woulda pegged you for a junk food eater." Ana mused with a teasing grin as they walked into the theater, sat down in a back row and waited for the movie to s tart. Nathan leaned in and smiled as he said calmly, "There's a lot you don't know about me.. But I'm curious.. What made you agree tonight if you knew Dante was up to something?"

She shrugged and made a mock zipping of her lips then added "Just sick of living in fear. And if I hadn't come out with you guys, it would've been pizza and sports night with Dad. I love him but I can only handle watching him and Morgan lose their shit at a baseball game so many nights in a row. Or boxing." with a quiet laugh. Nathan pretended to pout but she shrugged and said quietly, "And maybe, Officer, you make me curious. I mean you know everything about me, thanks to my brother, who is apparently still trying to pimp me out with his friends.. But I know nothing about you because if I ask about you, nobody else knows about you.. But Dante, and he tells me to ask you myself if I'm so curious." while licking the salty butter off of her full lower lip, an act that had Nathan's throat tightening just a little.

Was she flirting with him a little bit? Or was he getting his hopes up?

"Actually, Ana, he tells me the same thing too, when I ask him anything about you. All he has told me is what Milo's also told me. That you were in a really, really bad relationship with an even worse guy out in California. That you got out and now you're more afraid of what might lie ahead than you let on because you don't want anyone worrying about you or getting sucked into the situation. None of that bothers me, actually, because I really do want to get to know you. And I don't care what might happen because of that." he admitted honestly, holding her gaze as he spoke. He slipped his hand into the popcorn container between them and their fingers brushed. Ana's face colored a dark pink beneath her tan and she stared at him a few moments before saying quietly, "Okay, fine.. Ask away. But for everything you ask me, Officer.. I get to ask you something."

The old couple behind them shushed them and Ana turned slightly, giving them a sheepish and very apologetic smile as she leaned in and whispered into Nathan's ear, "How about over pizza at my dad's place? I can make Michael come in and make us a pizza. He is the only guy who does the damn things right." which made Nathan smile and nod in agreement.

Ana's stomach churned nervously. Sure things were going okay now.. But what would happen if they wound up backfiring in her face? What if she was about to be wrong again?


	11. A Movie Date Pt II

CHAPTER SEVEN

_A Movie Date Pt II  
_

"That.. Was an awesome movie." Ana laughed as she and Nathan emerged from the movie theater at the end of the movie they'd seen, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Nathan laughed and then said casually, "I figured it would be. I wonder how Lulu and Dante liked that romantic comedy they saw?" while the two of them waited outside of the theater Dante and Lulu's movie was playing in for Dante and Lulu to come out. The doors to the theater opened and Lulu nudged Dante and whispered "See? It looks like my plan worked. They're laughing and talking. It even looks like Ana's smiling a little." which made Dante smile and nod then say quietly, "Let's not be too pushy though. She's been through hell, she's trying to not rush into anything and everything scares her right now. I mean she is my baby sister, so I gotta make sure this guy's not a monster."

"Dante, he's your partner at work."

"Who just moved here from NYPD. I barely know the guy, Lulu, I just know he's gotta be one hell of a lot better for her than Johnny or Diego would be. Especially now, especially given what she's going through and what she's gonna be facing in a few months." Dante insisted firmly as Lulu laughed a little, rolled her eyes lovingly at her husband and said "And what happened to her making her own decisions? Isn't that why she left for California in the first place? Certain males in her life wouldn't stop treating her like a baby?"

Dante waved his hands, laughed a little and they stopped discussing their little matchmaking plan as they approached his baby sister and his partner from work. "So.. How'd the movie go?" Dante asked as Ana said with a bright grin, "It wasn't so bad.. Your niece or nephew though.. They really, really needed to calm down in there. They must have made me drink at least 3 Sprites.. And poor Nathan won't ever go to a movie with me again, I ate all the Sno caps and the cinnamon pretzel twist he bought me."

"And then she drank my water." Nathan said in amusement as he shrugged and said "But I had a good time, so yes, Ana, I would go to a movie with you again." and smiled at her, holding her gaze a few moments. He'd spent the entire time fighting off the daggers that Diego's eyes threw his way but it had really all been worth it. Ana hadn't even noticed Alcazar lurking in the back of the theater, which made him happy too. It made him more apt to believe that maybe whatever Diego and Ana had was really in the past.

That maybe he had a chance. And now that he had that feeling, he was determined to pursue her. At least give her a friend if it turned out that she didn't like him in the same way he was starting to like her. He laughed as he asked Ana jokingly, "So.. did you get too full to eat anything else in there or.."

"I could eat. If Michael will wake his butt up and make me a pizza." Ana joked back as Nathan shrugged and said casually, "I'm actually not that bad at making pizzas.. And I happen to have all the stuff to make one in my apartment. We could all go to my place and talk?" as Lulu shook her head and elbowed Dante before he could butt in and agree to go, speaking up to say "We're gonna go get Ben. I miss my little man. You two can go ahead though..." which made Ana and Nathan look at each other. Ana mulled it over and said with a shrug and a smile, "Not sure why it'd matter.. I mean we had a good time and I'm not overly anxious to go back to Dad's yet."

"Yeah, he's only driving you nuts right now?" Lulu joked as Ana gave her sister in law the thumbs up and hugged both her brother and sister in law before they went to leave. This left her alone with Nathan. Her stomach flipped nervously and she looked up at him, smiling as she said "So.. This pizza.. Let's go?" with a laugh. Nathan laughed too and they walked out of the mall, he helped her into his car. Ana texted her father and explained that she was stopping for a quick bite to eat before she came back.

Then she looked over at Nathan as he drove them towards his apartment and smiled to herself a little. Nothing with him was complicated. She wasn't constantly looking over her shoulder, she wasn't worried what anyone would do to try and break them apart, she wasn't worried about his turning out to be a monster, at least not yet. She wanted to get to know him better, she realized.. The only question that remained was should she take the chance to do that?

She bit her lower lip and Nathan spoke up, asked her "You okay?"

"Yeah, I was just thinking. I mean a lot's happened to me lately. It's kind of overwhelming." Ana admitted as she looked at him and he nodded then said with a smile, "Don't think about all that tonight.. This is just two people having pizza after watching a really good movie. No pressure. I mean it, Ana. I'm not gonna force you into anything."

She nodded and gave him a thankful smile as she said quietly, "I'm just worried about what Vincent's gonna do next. Especially now that it's out and he is another one of Jerome's kids. It makes me sick, you know? That someone would deliberately trick me into loving them just because of who my father is.. Just to get a place in some lame ass organization.. To take that over and carry out revenge on a father who probably never even knew he was alive."

"Not all of us are like that." Nathan said quietly as Ana nodded and laughed bitterly at herself then forced a smile on and said "You're right though. I shouldn't spend so much time dwelling on it or being afraid of what he'll do to me, to anybody. I should just let the proper people handle the situation and worry about me and the baby I'm carrying."

Nathan nodded as he pulled into a parking spot and then said with a sheepish laugh, "It's not much.. But it is a roof over my head." as they walked into the apartment complex that he was subletting an apartment with Maxie Jones in. She tried not to laugh when she caught sight of his messiness and shaking her head she suggested casually, "What about we both work on the pizza?"

"No. You sit. I'll get it." Nathan said with a smile as he pointed her to a couch. She sat and looked around then asked him "So.. What do you do? I mean other than work?"

"Truthfully, nothing. I mean I work out, I go for drinks with Dante.. I really don't do much else. But I am new to town and it'd be nice to have someone show me around." he said as he peeked into the living room from the kitchen. She laughed and then said "There's not much to show.. But I can try?" while looking up at him, biting her lower lip.

Maybe this was going to be okay. Maybe they'd become friends. Maybe later on, they'd become more. But Ana was starting to realize that she did want to know Nathan better. And that maybe, for once, and for the right reasons, not all the wrong ones, he wanted to get to know her too.


	12. I'm Not A Baby Anymore

CHAPTER EIGHT

_Not A Little Girl Anymore  
_

She flopped down onto the couch in the den of her father's house, popcorn in hand. Sonny walked in and sat down, looked at her a few moments. She could just kind of tell that a serious talk was coming, just by the look on his face. So she sighed and said "Okay, dad, let's hear it."

"Are you sure it's a good idea? I mean, letting Diego come by and check on you? I thought you had a good time the other night at the movies.. Also, as your dad, I'm just not sure it's a good idea you get mixed up with this Nathan guy just yet.. Not until I've.." Sonny stopped, looking at his daughter who was shaking her head, her eyes just a little angry, a tight scowl on her face. He knew the look well.. It was her mother's "not even" look, and in some ways, it made his heart hurt for Ana's not really knowing her mom, only having him and the way she'd had to live as his daughter, all the precautions, all the rules. Yeah, he was always strict with his kids, but he was doing what he could, all things considered, to keep them all safe and alive.

He'd lost enough people he loved in his life already. He didn't want to bury his children before he had to. He worried about Ana lately, her situation with this Vincent guy, her being pregnant and determined to be strong and independent just like she always had. He knew she'd been through hell and as a father, he worried that all the stress she faced was going to cause problems for her.

Or she'd make a decision in haste and she'd regret it. Just like she had when she left to go to California for school. Against his wishes, basically. But she'd always been a free spirit and independent. They'd fought a lot when she was younger, especially when she was a teenager and at her most stubborn. In some ways, she and her brother Morgan were the most alike.

"Seriously, Dad? You're gonna start this again? Look, I told you.. I'm just friends with Diego. We have a past, yeah, but I'm not going to just up and jump into his arms. There's too much there. I'm just not sure I love him in that way anymore. And as far as Nathan goes, Dad.. I thought you learned by now, doing this crap only winds up causing more hell than it's worth? I'm not a baby anymore.. And don't get me wrong, Dad, I love you to death for loving me so much that you have to be overprotective, and I'm glad you do it.. But it's starting to drive me nuts. Not every person I meet is out to get me. If I sit around thinking that I'll never get over what Vincent put me through, will I?"

"No, but.. I mean the guy shows up out of nowhere.. From NYPD. I have to be careful, Ana, you know that. He could be trying to use you to get to me. He knows that I'd do anything for my kids. If he wanted to bring me down, if anybody wanted to bring me down, Ana, we've been over this a thousand times before.. Because it would really kill me if anything happened to any of you.. Even when you're lurking around here making me nuts." Sonny insisted as Ana sighed and said quietly, "Just do this for me, Dad.. Don't get Sean to check up on him. I'd really rather not know.. Because, dad, for your information, I'm not going to just up and jump in his arms either. This last relationship? Pretty much finished me off where the male species was concerned."

"Right, sis.. And you were just drooling over one of those MMA guys why?" Morgan asked with a teasing tone as he walked into the room and said quietly, "Dad's just worried. And he is right.. Nathan did show up out of nowhere."

"Because he came to town to do some cold case.. As far as I know, it's got everything to do with Dr. Clay and absolutely nothing to do with our father, Morgan. I'm just friends with the guy, shit you two." Ana said as she shoveled popcorn into her mouth and growled a little, pretending to snap at her brother's fingers when he reached into her bowl and said "We gonna sit here all night or are we gonna start the Corinthos family tradition again?"

"Sports and junk food sounds amazing right now. Today was hell." Morgan grumbled as Sonny stiffened in his seat. He knew what Morgan was getting at and he knew that the only reason Morgan was being civil right now was because of Ana being here. Otherwise, Morgan probably would've been at Dante's with Dante and Lulu just to avoid having to see him right now.

And it killed him, it really did. Especially knowing he'd been the one who caused his son that much pain. It had been a mistake, and it had been one that he'd go to his grave regretting, most likely. But Morgan didn't understand that this was probably a good thing, the best thing really, for him.. Now he could find a girl worth the hassle of getting to know and leave women like Ava and Kiki alone.

Ana looked from her father to her brother and crossed her arms, turned off the tv. "Okay, you two are doing it.. Again.. Pregnancy means no stress, remember? Look, I appreciate you two trying to act like things are okay for my sake.. But if you don't work whatever the hell this whole thing is out.. Then I'm gonna have to go and stay with Dante and Lulu.. And I really don't want to intrude on them, not with what they've had to go through since they got married. They need and deserve this time to themselves. So out with it."

Sonny and Morgan looked at one another and Morgan said quietly, "Nothing's wrong, Ana.. And just because you were all puffy cheeked and bossy and too damn cute to not cave in to when we were little doesn't mean that being bossy about stuff now is gonna fix anything?"

"Family, Morgan, is pretty much the only thing we're ever gonna have. And we're supposed to be close. So what the hell is going on..." Ana asked as Sonny said quietly, "Nothing.. It's better not being talked about." Ana huffed a moment and then stood and said "Fine.. You two idiots sit here and glare at each other in silence.. I'm gonna go for a walk through the garden. It's nice out and I can't take the tension in here.. Just so both of you know.. I'm not a baby anymore.. You don't have to hide problems and stuff from me. I love both of you despite all of your annoying quirks."

"You have to, remember sis? You're stuck with us." Morgan joked as Ana sighed and walked out the door. The second she was out of the room Morgan turned to his father and said quietly, "I'm not forgiving you. But she's right. We are family." as he stood and looked at his father. Sonny nodded and said quietly, "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go for a walk too.. Somebody's gotta make sure that Diego isn't hiding in the garden waiting to try and seduce Ana right back into his arms. Hello, I am her brother and I do give a shit." Morgan said as he sighed a little and walked out the door and into the gardens, catching up to Ana, who was fuming by the looks of it. He caught up to her and said calmly, "He's just doing that because he loves you."

"I know, Morgan, but he keeps forgetting, I'm not a baby anymore and I'm gonna get hurt either way it goes. It doesn't matter what he might do to try and stop that from happening, shit happens. Life isn't always gonna be rainbows and sunshine. Case in point, my current situation. What is going on with you and Dad?' she asked, looking up at her younger brother who shrugged and said "I'd rather not talk about it. It's between me and Dad, okay?"

"I'm your big sister. I thought you could tell me anything, Morgie."

"I can.. Just don't want to tell you this.. I know how you are about Dad, how close you two have always been. I don't wanna mess that up. And trust me, it just might. Besides, sis.. You don't need the stress right now."

"I know, I know, damn it. I just.. I feel like I left and I came back now my entire family's practically imploded or something." Ana said quietly as she shuffled her feet and said "It bothered me more than I thought it would, his saying he wanted to check around and dig things up about Nathan.. What do you think about him?"

"Personally, sis? I think that if he makes you happy, I can deal with him. And at least I won't be worried about you getting with Diego or Johnny, those bastards and getting right back into the life you went to California to get away from." Morgan said as Ana nodded and said thoughtfully, "I wanna get to know him.. But at the same time, I'm scared to death.. I mean what if he does turn out to be a monster?"

"That's when me and Michael and Dante will kick his ass. Just go slow, okay? You're thing is that you like to rush like me.. And I'm learning that sometimes rushing isn't the best answer." Morgan said quietly as Ana nodded and then said "It feels good out here."

"It does." Morgan said as they walked around the garden, both lost in their own thoughts, problems and worries.


End file.
